ADB offers support in formulation of national education policy

ISLAMABAD: Vice President (Operations), Asian Development Bank (ADB) Wencai Zhang has offered the ADB support to the Education Ministry in technical and skill development fields and also in the formulation of national education policy.

“Pakistan should take benefit from the expertise of the ADB, which can provide technical support during the formulation and implementation of the national education policy,” he said in a meeting with Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood in Islamabad. Country Director ADB Xiaohong Yang

Wencai Zhang also informed Shafqat that the ADB was interested in working with Pakistan in skills and capacity development.

“Linkages must be developed among the skill development institutes and the job market so that the students after vocational and technical training can get immediate jobs,” he said.

Read More: Shafqat says govt to introduce uniform education system

The education minister appreciated the help and support offer and stated that education and skill development was the main focus of the government.

He said that Pakistan was facing humongous challenge in the field of education. He said the Education Ministry was all set to introduce reforms that comprised of Introducing uniform education and certification system and uniform curriculum throughout the country, improving the quality of education, skill development and vocational training and also to enroll the 25 million out of school children. Another component was to work on the adult education, he said.

The minister said that education ministry will also soon introduce a national education policy that will address all these challenges.

“We are currently assessing the situation, setting our goals and targets and we would like the support of ADB in the formulation and implementation stages,” he said.

Both sides agreed to hold further meetings in this regard.

Later, Shafqat Mehmood was also called on by Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Pakistan Takashi Kurai.

Cooperation in the field of education was discussed and both sides agreed on increased coordination and further meetings to find new avenues of cooperation in education sector.